Greek Shredded Instant Pot Pork and Cucumber Salad

I’m currently at my kid’s homeschool co-op day, sitting in the back of the classroom roguely working on my computer instead of…well, I’m not sure what I’m supposed to be doing, but writing blog posts probably isn’t it.

I’ve left my phone at home two weeks in a row, this time dropping it on the shoe shelf in my closet, frantically tearing my car apart looking for it and making us late AGAIN. I am the epitome of the frazzled strung-out mom. My kids rightly roll their eyes in annoyance, watching the clock, as we try and speed to school, walking the line between driving juuuussstt fast enough to gain a few minutes but not ACTUALLY get a speeding ticket. It’s all very stressful and completely self-induced. How about you? How’s your Wednesday going? Any other frazzled moms I can commiserate with? Just me?

If you follow along on Instagram, I’ve promised this easy recipe for a couple weeks now. I’m so sorry for how long it’s taken to get my act together, but I promise, you’re going to absolutely love these recipes. My family devoured their dinner (which feels like a win when all five of us like the same thing) and we each took the components and did something a little different.

I cooked some rice so Aaron and I made rice bowls and I added a big handful of baby spinach to mine to bulk it up a little. The kids grabbed wraps (pita or tortillas) and made burrito-esque wraps with rice, pork, cucumbers picked from the salad and basil aioli.

The basil aioli is one of those dips/dressings that I could literally slather on EVERYTHING. Perfect in a sandwich, as a salad dressing or just kept in the fridge for dipping lunchmeat and baby carrots, I can’t recommend keeping a batch on hand pretty much all the time. The basil aioli recipe is at the very bottom of the blog post. You can also find it HERE, it’s one of those sauces that literally works with anything. Don’t like basil or don’t want to make the aioli? Use store-bought hummus or tzatziki sauce.

Greek Shredded Instant Pot Pork:

• 3-4 pounds pork tenderloin, cut into 3 or 4 chunks

• 1 medium sweet onion chopped

• 1 red OR orange bell pepper chopped

• 4 cloves garlic minced

• 1/3 cup pepperoncini peppers with juice

• 1 teaspoon seasoning salt (Lowery’s or something similar)

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1 teaspoon dried parsley

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

• Juice of 1/2 a lemon

Spray instant pot with cooking spray and combine all ingredients in the pot. Give a quick stir to gently combine the meat with the veggies and herbs. For a slightly spicier version of this recipe, add a 1/2 cup of pepperoncinis making sure to include the juice from the jar. Set timer for 30 minutes on high pressure and allow the instant pot to do a slow release of pressure. Once the meat is cooked and pressure completely released, remove the lid and use two forks to shred the pork. If the meat is a little tough still or NOT shredding and falling apart on its own, cook on high pressure for an additional 10 minutes (this would only happen if you are cooking a larger quantity of meat, but it’s always good to remember you can always add on cooking time if needed).

*This recipe works in a crockpot as well. Follow basic instructions and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. You can also make this recipe in a dutch oven and cook for roughly 3 to 3.5 hours in the oven at 325 degrees. Occasionally remove the lid and stir the meat. When it easily falls apart, it’s done/ Remove from the oven, allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes, then shred with two forks.

Cucumber Salad:

• 1 large English cucumber, quartered

• 1 red bell pepper, diced

• 1 shallot or 1/3 cup diced onion (white or purple)

• 1/2 cup pitted Kalimantan olives

• 1/2 cup pepperoncini peppers

• Juice of 1/2 a lemon

• 1 tablespoon Italian parsley, minced

• Kosher salt and black pepper

In a medium-size bowl combine chopped cucumber, bell pepper. onion, Kalimantan olives, pepperoncini peppers and Italian parsley. Squeeze the lemon juice over the vegetables and sprinkle with kosher salt and black pepper. Gently mix to combine and taste. Add more Italian parsley or kosher salt if needed to meet preferences. Cover and store extras in the refrigerator for up to three days.

*This is an endlessly adaptable recipe! Add cherry tomatoes, marinated artichokes, avocado or mixed greens. Use what you have and what sounds good to you! I tend to go easy on the onion but add as much as you like. In the summer, when I have lots of fresh herbs in my garden, I love to add fresh basil and chives as well.

Garlic Basil Aioli

• 3 cloves garlic minced 

• 3 tablespoons basil minced

• 1/2 cup low-fat sour cream

• 1/2 cup non-fat plain greek yogurt

• Pinch of Kosher salt and black pepper

In a small jar with a lid, combine ingredients using a fork or a whisk to mix well. I love the frozen  cubes of herbs you can buy at the grocery store for this recipe. Makes mixing up an aioli quick and easy. Spoon over meat, add to sandwiches or use as a dip for veggies. Store extras in the refrigerator in a sealed jar.

*A squeeze of lemon juice added to the aioli adds a lovely brightness and keeps the basil looking fresh longer.